by Bronco » Tue Apr 05, 2016 6:58 pm
Orders for the Tesla Model 3 were up over 250,000 yesterday. For price comparison, the Nissan Leaf is[was] the best selling electric car in the US and has a price of about $33,000. It has a proven record but less range per charge than the Tesla. Since the real Model 3 hasn't hit the road in it's final production form it's hard to say if it's going to be nicer or more comfortable than the other cars in the same price range, but if it's consistent with the previous model Teslas it promises to be one of the safest cars on the road. Supposedly, the Model 3 will have several features found on the Model S including GPS and the "fetch" feature which can have the car pull out of the garage, turn on the heat and sit waiting for the driver. On the road it has a self driving feature. In theory, the new models could be programed to deliver themselves to the new owners' home.
For the Model 3 orders, you have to provide $1,000 earnest money up front and the actual production date won't be until late 2017, delivery will begin in the US first as the cars are completed. Buyers should be prepared to wait until 2018 before they get their new cars, meanwhile you get 0% interest on your $1K. Buyers will be contacted at some later date to determine what extras they wish to have installed in their cars. Several companies have committed to buying fleets of the new cars.
Energy conservation on the West Coast (where Tesla lives) is alive and well because of an abundance of hydroelectric, solar and wind power which corresponds nicely with the population density. Many of the buyers (more specifically: hopeful investors) are banking on the idea that there will be a corresponding drop in pollution as well as free electricity via the Tesla Superchargers. Some people justify the expense of an electric car by saying their cost is reduced by saving the amount of money they used to pay for gasoline. There are also several tax incentives for buying electric cars.
Because of the huge turnout of buyers for the Model 3 Tesla is going to have to build new manufacturing facilities. Several places such as Canada, England and Australia are bidding in hopes that the new manufacturing plant(s) will be located there. Current plans are to initially use Albuquerque, New Mexico and the home plant in Fremont, California.
"I used to care, but things have changed"
Bob Dylan